Vinnie Moore Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
For much of the early 21st century, six-string shred king Vinnie Moore focused primarily on serving as a replacement for Michael Schenker in UFO (issuing several albums). But as a result, his solo career suffered, as only a single solo studio release materialized (2001's Defying Gravity). That all changed, however, in 2009, with the arrival of his seventh solo album overall, To the Core. Not as over-the-top as his earlier solo outings, Moore now focuses on the importance of creating guitar-driven melodies (and sounding like a not-so-far distant cousin of Joe Satriani). In fact, in quite a few instances, Moore seems more concerned with creative a strong and sturdy groove ("Transcendence") rather than just soloing the night away. Elsewhere, you'll find the Saga-esque album opener, "Fly," the bluesy "Jigsaw," and the hard-rocking "Into the Open." As a result, Vinnie Moore can now be referred to as a "restrained shredder." ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Vinnie Moore certainly comes from the school that is labeled "guitar hero." This album is, at times, a prime example of that genre, featuring elements that get a bit noodley and over the top. However, Moore really does a nice spin on the genre. For one thing, even some of his neo-classical moments, which can get a bit stodgy in other hands, often have a fun-loving texture to them. He also wanders from that direction from time to time. Indeed, much of the latter half of the album is made up of fun pieces, many with a Latin influence. This breath of fresh air into the world of the guitar virtuoso should make this album appeal even to those of us who are not fans of the guitar player as god style of music. ~ Gary Hill, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Recorded over two nights at Palo Alto, CA's The Edge during the supporting tour for The Maze, Live is Vinnie Moore's first concert album, covering both recent material and longtime favorites. It offers ample proof that Moore's articulation and phrasing are just as precise in a performance setting as they are in the studio. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
1999's Maze not only represents Vinnie Moore's return to his neo-classical shred roots, it also marks the guitarist's Shrapnel Records homecoming. It had been over a decade since Moore released his surprisingly successful debut for the label that essentially defined the rock guitar virtuoso genre. After spending years trying to shed the neo-classical tag and developing a Satriani-esque phrasing ability/tonal vocabulary, Moore brought some new tricks to his old bag, and Maze benefits because of it. The compositions are more mature than those on Mind's Eye and Time Odyssey and Moore's instrumental voice is light years in advance of what it was during his previous neo-classical forays. Mind's Eye may have heavily outsold Maze, but that was a result the timeliness of Moore's first Shrapnel offering. If forced to pick between these two releases, fans of the genre -- who should probably have both discs in their collection -- will be wise to pick up Maze. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When the dense and often difficult guitar virtuoso subgenre fell on tough commercial times in the '90s, first-tier artists like Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen began to lose their relevance. As hard as the new musical environment was on the legitimate icons of shred, it was nearly catastrophic for many talented but undefined artists such as Vinnie Moore. A former neo-classical fret-burner, Moore was already leaning toward the upbeat boogie and mainstream rock sound of Joe Satriani in the early '90s. This shift to a more accessible style wasn't enough to maintain Moore's good standing at his major-label home, and the guitarist's fourth offering, Out of Nowhere, was shelved for almost three years before its eventual (independent) release in 1996. Moore plays with more soul and emotion on Out of Nowhere, but his flanged and wah-pedal melodies on cuts like "Losing Faith" and "Thunderball" can't contend with Satriani's more elegant instrumental rock. The "Satch Boogie" knockoff "Vinman's Brew" simply confirms what discerning listeners had known for some time: amazing technique and an ear for decent melodies are no match for a unique instrumental voice and the capacity for conceptual invention. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Who's faster: Yngwie Malmsteen or Vinnie Moore? That was the question back in 1986 when this recording was released. An obvious clone of Malmsteen, Moore burst upon the scene proving that, yes, someone else could play "that fast too." The problem with Mind's Eye and the subsequent genre of shredding that followed was that it became stagnant. Malmsteen turned heads from all musical styles because of his technical proficiency back in the early '80s, but those same heads quickly turned away to find out that there was little more being offered than really fast scales. The speed alone was not enough to hold many rock or fusion fans' interests for very long, as each guitarist seemed to be playing the same ideas, just at faster speeds. Without being too hard on Moore, he is one of the more interesting of the shredders and has one of the cleaner sounds. Ironically, Tony Macalpine is the keyboardist here and would soon emerge with an identical sound to Moore's. The better moments here are on the more aggressive numbers such as "In Control" and "Saved by a Miracle," with the latter containing a decent drum solo by the underrated Tommy Aldridge and a fine acoustic introduction by Moore. Mind's Eye is a classic in the shredder community, but rates as just a display of technical ability to the casual listener. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
During the post-Van Halen shred eruption of the '80s, only a few guitarists made anything that resembled a unique musical statement. For every Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, there were a dozen Joey Tafollas. Perhaps the most groundbreaking musician of this era was Yngwie Malmsteen. The Swedish virtuoso had many imitators, and Vinnie Moore was chief among them. After a successful debut on shred-specialty label Shrapnel Records, Moore landed a deal with Mercury and released Time Odyssey at the height of solo rock guitar excess in 1988. On the disc's first two tracks, "Morning Star" and "Prelude/Into the Future," Moore tosses off some guitar harmonies that bear a huge resemblance to Deep Purple (an acknowledged Malmsteen influence). Moore then glides through a few competent, slightly passive rock numbers before Time Odyssey's most impressive cut, "Race With Destiny." Unfortunately, this neo-classical number is an utter Malmsteen rip-off. Of the imitators, Moore ranks high, due to his accurate playing and warm tone, but offerings like Time Odyssey are missing the emotional substance and/or technical innovation they need to be considered important shred documents. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
